This invention pertains to speech analysis apparatus, and more particularly, to apparatus for visually displaying the pitch frequencies in speech sounds.
Speech analysis apparatus has many useful functions. An extremely important function is to train people with hearing and speech disorders in pitch control and inflection, by providing immediate feedback in the form of a visual display. Another use of this apparatus is as an instructional tool in singing where a measure of the singer's pitch frequency and rate and amplitude of the vibratos (and tremolos) are extremely important. A further use for such apparatus is as an aid in the detection of pathologies which affect the vocal cords thereby causing various degrees of pitch perturbations which can be best measured by a visual real time display.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a fast and accurate apparatus for measuring, and displaying in real time, dynamic pitch frequencies on a cycle-to-cycle basis.
It is another object of the invention to provide simple display of the dynamic pitch frequency so that the apparatus may be used as a bio-feedback device in the training of pitch control for education, singing, and for the hard of hearing and profoundly deaf.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an aid in the detection of various pathologies in which an early symptom would be a deviation or perturbation of the pitch frequencies from the normal range and limits.